This invention relates to a document reproduction machine enabling separate storage of copies.
An image forming device such as a copying machine forms a copy (an image of an original) on a sheet of copying paper. The copying paper is discharged as a copy; and multiple copies (on which the same image is formed) can be produced for one original, as well as single copies. In such a copying machine capable of producing multiple copies, sometimes separate storage of the copies is desired. It is especially important to collate the copies when a number of copies are required for several different originals.
A conventionally-used sorting device, for example, "Xerox 7000", is constructed with a plurality of stationary sorting bins for storing copies which, when discharged from the copying machine, are transported toward the sorting bins by a transport mechanism. When each copy reaches an appropriate sorting bin, the corresponding gate to the sorting bin rotates to guide the paper into the sorting bin. However, in such a sorting device, the transport mechanism connecting the copying machine with the sorting bins is relatively large, and many gates are necessary to sort the copies into each sorting bin. This results in a large apparatus inconvenient for use in an office.
To obviate these defects in conventionally-used sorting devices, a copying machine with an improved sorting device has recently been developed wherein the sorting bins themselves can be moved upward or downward to directly receive copies discharged from the copying machine. A plurality of sorting bins are successively moved toward the discharge unit of the copying machine.
In the above sorting device, if a copy of a second original is produced in the copying machine while the copies of the first original are being collated in the sorting device, the sorting bins will be out of the proper order to receive the copies of the second original. Therefore, an operator must select the sorting condition, that is, whether or not copies are to be collated. Generally, the sorting condition is called sort-mode or nonsort-mode depending upon the function. In other words, the operator must select either the sort-mode or the nonsort-mode.
A problem will result, however, if an operator leaves the copying machine when he has completed a job in the sort-mode. For instance, assume that the total number of sorting bins is 10, and after an operator makes 8 copies of an original in the sort-mode, the next operator also wants to use the copying machine in the sort-mode. In this case, the 8th sorting bin is facing the discharge unit of the copying machine. Consequently, copies made by the next operator will start to be sorted from the 9th sorting bin, resulting in confusion. If the next operator instead selects the nonsort-mode, the sorting device will be reset to store copies in the first sorting bin. However, if the next operator does not change to the nonsort-mode, and carelessly depresses the copy button, the copies will be stored beginning at the sorting bin next in succession to that used by the previous operator.
The above mentioned copying machine also has an interrupt-mode which allows an operator to copy a second original by interrupting the copying of the first. If the interrupt-mode is designated while in the sort-mode, the sorting bins will be out of the proper order to receive copies when copying of the first original is resumed.